ENDURO INDIA - Cliff Burr -I will leave my usual routine behind to participate in a personal challenge and to help others less fortunate than myself. My aim - to complete a gruelling motorbike ride across southern India, covering some of the most beautiful and demanding terrain this stunning area can offer. I will travel long distances across mountains and desert plains, through protected wildlife reserves and ancient forests.
My trip will start at the end of January 2010.

Riding Video :D

Thursday, 28 January 2010

So that everyone can understand what we put ourselves through each day. This is how this Enduro works. Everybody is given a road book stating your start point, the approximate distance of today’s stage, the destination, the important towns you will pass through and then a route planner comprising of all the sections for the trip. Each section gives a graphic showing a bend or crossroads or t-junction etc. Next to that is the approx difference in km since the previous section. Then a written description of the graphic, for example 'remain straight on this road' then an approximate cumulative km reading since the start of the day. In Enduro rallies such as the Dakar a road book similar to this is given to each competitor each night for the next day on a long roll of paper. This roll is then fitted into an easily viewed display mounted in the handlebar fairing which is connected to the wheels so that it continues to roll based on distance covered. We get a book which we put in the transparent map case on our petrol tanks. (Very difficult to keep watch on) We have to constantly calculate the kms run against the odometer of the bike to find our way stopping when the page needs to be turned. Now about the bikes, most modern day bikes have a rear brake operated by your right foot and the gear change operated by your left foot, usually one click down for first and then clicking up through neutral to second then up each time for further gears. We are riding bikes where the brake is on the left foot and the gear change on the right. Also the gears are one up and three down. As you can imagine this is enough to confuse but with false neutrals between each gear it is a nightmare. Now the other road users, there are cows and dogs constantly appearing in you path. The locals overtake on blind bends so you can turn a bend and trucks are coming at you on both sides of the road. They drive on the left but at a junction you can be indicating to turn right and a local will pull up next to you and then go straight on! Expect the unexpected 'it's all part of the Enduro experience'. Our test ride today was to a great beach with a road leading in full of local artisan shops. If you missed the hippy Californian thing in the 60's come to Goa!

I would also like to say a huge thank-you to everybody who has donated recently towards the charities, much appreciated.

My Usual Ride

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PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY

The minimum amount of sponsorship required to take part in this event is £4,750.

The overhead cost is £3,250 and has been self funded. My wife Pen and I have sold various personal possessions since signing for this event to raise this amount. (Thank goodness for EBay!).

This means that every penny of sponsorship raised by pressing the Donate Button below will then go to the charites.

PayPal do take a small processing fee but without PayPal I would probably not be able to raise sponsorship from friends that I do not see very often (if at all!), due to where we all live.

Friends that I see regularly, please give me your sponsorship donations so we may avoid the Paypal processing fees!

PLEASE DONATE - ALL DONATIONS GO TO THE CHARITIES

Charities

The charities that will benefit from Enduro India are

UNICEF

UNICEF is leading the global Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS Campaign. AIDS is threatening children as never before. The funds raised for UNICEF through Enduro India will be used in Karnataka which we will be riding through on route. The project which Enduro India is supporting is called ‘With Strength, Hearts and Mind’ and combats these issues through an integrated approach to HIV; preventing infection amongst adolescents, pediatric treatment, prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission and protection and support children affected by HIV/AIDS.

Rainbow Trust Children's Charity

Every year 10,000 families in the UK have a child diagnosed with a terminal or life threatening illness. No one expects to out-live their children. The news that your child may die shatters families.Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity exists to provide a unique and special service to these families. Set up in 1986, they recognise that the parents, brothers and sisters of a dying child are often forgotten. They shouldn’t be. By offering non-medical, practical and emotional help, they aim to maintain a sense of normality, and keep families together.EnduroIndia funds a post for a Family Support Worker in Rainbow Trust’s Swindon Team who provides hands on, practical and emotional support for families with a terminally ill child.

Wildlife Conservation Society

WCS promotes tiger conservation in India across its long term sites in India. Enduro India will help support tiger conservation in India.